Typewriting machine



Aug. 7, 192a 3 1 5 l t 0 n P. n 1, m V/ W ,f MMU b. zw@ /n M s a ma b. l Sm4 Nn www m02. Km .w .nu JWM Gun An.. A T .L

A orne Aug. 7, 1928. 1,680,153

A G. F. KuRowsKl TYPEWRITING IACHINB Filed lay 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Shut 2 Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PANY, OF NEW YO NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD BX, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application aled Hay 2,

This invention relates to ty ewriting machines, and more particular y to ribbonfeeding devices used in connection therewith, in which the ribbon is fed past the 6 printing position by a ste -by-step, longilt)udina1 movement imparted) by a universal One feature of the invention provides for a light, simple and effective control for the ribbon-feeding elements. applicable in general to typewriting and analogous mechanisms, and b which the ribbon is positively drawn in eit ier direction at will or remains quiescent if desired To accomplish this purpose the machine is provided with a ribbon-spool at each side, actuated by ratchets, operated by the universal bar.

The ratchet-feeding elements are controlled by a manually operable shift-bar arranged to render the ratchet-driving pawls associated with one of the ribbon-spools inoperative, while the other opposite s ool is operated to feed the ribbon, the shift-bar operating to reverse the relative positions of the pawls when a change in the direction of the ribbon-feed is desired.

These two extreme positions of the shiftbar are maintained by a spring-detent, and provision is also ma e for an intermediate position of the shift-bar when .both spools are to be rendered inoperative and cessation of ribbon movement secured, as during an interval when the type are being used for cutting stencils and similar work.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately through the center of the typewriting machine, some of its parts, not relating to the invention, being omitted. Figure 2 is a partial plan view, showing e universal bar and its connections. Figure 3 is a plan view, showing the relative position of the ribbon-spools and associated controlling mechanism as mounted upon the front carriage-rail.

igure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sec- 1924. Serial No. 710,528.

tional view of the leftview being taken in a line Y in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a similar sect through the right-hand s of Figure 3.

igure 6 is a fragmentary detail "iew of the lower end of the ribbon-spool shaft.

eferring more in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a series of keylevers as arranged in banks at the front of the machine in standard keyboard formation. Each key-lever operates a bell-crank 11, pivoted at 12 on the machine-frame, in communicating motion, by a connection 13, to the type-bar 14, causing it to turn on its fulcrum 15, and force the type from inoperative or rest position on the cushion pad 16, to printing position against the face of the platen 17.

These series of type-bars are s from a type-segment 18 secured to of the machine and ha rear face, adjacent the type-bars, to house a curved universal bar 19 provided with lugs 20 secured to corres nding lugs 21 formed 75 on the side edges of): carrier 22.

is carrier is guided at its forward end by a tongue 23, slidably mounted in a slot formed through the type-segment 18, and is provided at the rear with side arms 24 80 pivotally connecting with the arms 25 of a swinging member, in turn pivoted to the rear frame member of the machine, thus affording a substantially straight-line movement of the carrier 22 at a right angle to 85 the plane of the segment 18.

To maintain the carrier in normal position, a tension spring 26 is connected between a projection on the carrier and a fixed part o the frame, as 27, the spring urging the carrier forwardly against a sto 28.

From the foregoing it will e seen that the movement of the type-bar to the printing osition causes it to engage the universal ar 19 a little in advance of the impact of 95 the type against the platen, moving the universal bar rearwardly, thus actuating the carrier 22 and any parts mounted thereon.

hand ribbon-spool, the 50 plane indicated by the ional view taken pool on line X-X uspended 7o the frame ving a groove in its The end plates Q9 of the carriage-shiftframe are joined at the rear by a back plate and are supported by pivots at the free ends of levers 31 and 39., pivoted in the machine frame, and which operate in the attainment of a substantially straight-line, upand-down movement of the shift-frame, defined h v stops 3? on the machine frame. This .shi'fbfrauie is provided with runways 34, shown in broken lines iu Figure l, between which is carried anti-frictional bearings for longitudinal movement of the carriage and platen.

A braelcet 35` fixed on the front face of 5 the back late 5'0. supports the pivotal end of a rib )on-vibrator lever 36, extending forward nearly to the rear face of the typesegment 18, where its free end is connecte to a ribbon-carrier 3T slidably mounted upon a stationary type-guide 38 secured to the segment.

LThe vibrator-lever 36 is actuated by a toggle link 39 ivotally connected in a slotted lug 49 on tllie carrier '29. and arranged to raise the vibrator-lever 36 and ribbon carrier 37, covering the printing field of the type each time the carrier is actuated by a ty c-bar.

he carriage end plates 29 are formed at their upper front edges with inreaching flanges 29 for supporting s ool-cups 41 secured by screws. These spoo -cups are assembled in paired relation, res ectively right and left hand, each having si e openings to permit passage of the ribbon. directed toward the printing position, the bottom walls of the cups projecting beyond the openings and having fixed pivots on which are mounted rollers 42. having conical faces to take up slack in the lower edge of the ribbon; a flange 42 at the upper, smaller diametered end of the roller preventing the ribbon from disengagement.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, brackets 43 are secured to the inner faces of the end plates 29. the brackets having lateral inreaching lugs 43 in which are sleeves 44, their lower ends being shouldered to rest on the lower lng and revolubly held by screws 45 threaded axially into the ends of the ribbon-spool spindles 46 rotatable within the sleeves 44.

Secured to the upper ends of the sleeves 44 are arms 47 bearing against the faces of the upper lugs 43', and which act co-operatively with the screws 45 to prevent endwise movement of the sleeves.

'The outer, free en s of the arms 47 carry spring-pressed, pivoted pawls 48 engageable with the teeth of ratchet-wheels 49 to cause their rotation in one direction, spring-pressed detcnts 50, pivoted on the spool-carrying frames, preventing reverse movement of the ratchet-wheels.

These ratchet-wheels 49 are rigidly fixed on the spindles 46 and are provided with dowel pins 51 suited to enter openings in the heads of the ribbon-spools 52 when the spools are disposed on the upper extending ends of the spindles 46, to which they may be secured by thumb-screws threaded into the `spindle ends.

In order to actuate the arms 4T and thus rotate the ratchet-wheels 49. metal bands 53 are clamped to the sleeves 44 adjacent the lower lugs 43' of the brackets. the extending end of each band being twisted and bent downward at a right angle to receive rearwardly-directed pivotally-fastened connection links 54.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the elements 53 act in the manner of crank-arms, which, upon being actuated, transmit rocking motion to the sleeves 44 and arms 47, causing the pawls 48 to advance the ratchet-wheels and ribbon-spools in a winding-up direction.

As shown in broken lines in Figure Q, the type-segment 18 is secured to inwardly-extending arms 55, forming part of a frame, and also on these arms are fastened brackets 56 supporting pivotal levers 57 at each side of the segment, the inner ends of these levers being pressed against the rear edge of the universal bar 19 b tension s rings 58 and their outer ends eing suitalily connected with the links 54, so as to permit the forward ends of the latter to move with the crank-arm elements 53 without binding.

Thus, when the universal bar 19 is mover to the rear, by impact of the type-bars, the levers 5T will transmit a forward motion to the links 54, rocking the sleeves 44 and associated awls 48 a definite distance. and both paw s act in unison to rotate their respective ratchet-wheels and ribbon-spools in opposite or contrary feeding direction.

It is therefore necessar to interposel selective means to determinably shift the pawls 48 from operative to inoperative ositions, and to the reverse. in order to re ease the paying-out spool from its pawl and detent when the opposite spool is being actuated in a winding-up direction by its feed pawl.

To acomplish this purpose, cam plates 59 are arranged to rotate freely upon the spindles 46, between the arms 47 and ratchetwheels 49, these cam plates being formed with two cam faces 60 and 60', positioned and arranged to jointly cam the teeth of the pawls 48 and detents 50 out of the path of the teeth of the ratchet-wheels 49 by a slight rotary movement of the cam plates.

In addition to the cam faces 60 and 60'. the cam plates are formed with arms 61 in which are fixed downwardly-extending pins 62, engaging in the slotted arms 63 of a shift-bar 64 slidably mounted upon the flat faces of pads 65 forming part of the machine rail 34', the shift-bar being guided by slots 66 engaged by studs 67 riveted to 2. In atypewriting machine provided with 65 the pads. a ribbon, a pair of spools for feeding said The shift-bar 64 is of irregular shape to ribbon, a ratchet for h of said spools clear operative parts of the machine (not movable therewith, an oscillatory arm for shown), and at the right-hand end is proeach of said ratchets having a pawl thereon vided with an upwardly-inclined extension for imparting ribbon-feed movement to the 70 64', offset rearwardly at its end and carrycorresponding ratchet, a detent for each of ing a fixed finger-knob 68 by which the said ratchets for preventing reverse moveshift-bar and its connections may be moved ment thereof, oscillatory cam-plates for said lenfvthwise. ratcliets movable to cam said pawls and from this description it will be seen that detents out of engagement with said ratchets, the camming elements that control the riba shift-bar connected to said cam-plates and bon-feeding pawls operate alternately, that manually movable from a position wherein is to say, when one cam plate releases the both of said pawls and both of said detents pawl and detent associated with its corare disengaged from said ratchets into seresponding spool to operate the same, the lective positions wherein a selected one of other cam plate has rendered the pawl and said pawls and its corresponding detent detent at the other spool inoperative, so are in operative position, while the other of that the spindle of the latter spool is free said pawls and its corresponding detent are to rotate relatively to its sleeve when the in inoperative position, and retaining means, ribbon is fed by the movement of the former releasable on the manual pushing of said S5 spool. shift-bar, for holding said shift-bar in any In order to lock these shifting devices in one of said positions either of these two extreme positions, a 3. In a typewriting machine having a. spring detent 69 is secured to the right-hand fixed type-bar segment, the combination with frame, the same co-operating with either of a shift-frame, a front, lateral runway for two spaced detent openings 70 in the adjaanti-friction elements carried by said shiftcent end of the shift-bar 64. frame and disposed in the rear of said type- An intermediate or neutral position of the bar sevment, and two ribbon-s ools carried shift-bar is secured by engaging the detent by said shift-frame and rotatab e about ver- 69 in the opening 71, midway between the tical axes, of mechanism for rotating said 95 openings 70. in which position al1 of the ribbon-spools in opposite directions, and pawls and detents that control the ribboninstriunentalities for disconnecting, at will, eed will be raised out of engagement with either or both of said ribbon-spools from the teeth of the ratchet-wheels and corresaid rotating mechanism, said instrumentalspondingly the ribbon will not be fed in ities including a slidable, lateral bar sup- 10o either direction, the instrument-alities herein orted on said front runway and extending described obviously fulfilling the purposes of rom one of said spools to the other in the the invention. rear thereof, an integral arm extending for- Variations may be resorted to within the wardl from each end of said slidable bar scope of the invention, and portions of the at each side of said segment, said arms havimprovements may be used without others. ing slots adjacent their front ends, a cam- Having thus described my invention, I plate member coaxial with and underlying claim: each of said spools and arranged for dis- 1. Inatypewriting machine provided with engaging said rotating mechanism from a ribbon, a pair of spools for feeding said said spools, and pins fast in said cam-memribbon. a ratchet for each of said spools bers and extending downwardly for engagemovable therewith, an oscillatory arm for ment in said slots. each of said ratchets having a pawl thereon 4. In a typewriting machine, the combinafor imparting ribbon-feed movement to the tion of a main frame, a segment su ported corresponding ratchet, a detent for each of thereby, a carriage, a carriage-shi t-frame said ratchets for reventing reverse movemovable relatively to said main frame and ment thereof, oscil atory cam-plates for said having a machine-rail thereon, ty -keys, ratchets movable to cam said pawls and dea pair of spools for feeding a ri bon, a tents out of engagement with said ratchets, manually-movable shift-bar between said and a shift-bar connected to said cam-plates segment and said rail, slidably mounted on and manually movable from a position said rail and having forwardly-extending wherein both of said pawls and both of said arms terminating adjacent said spools, means detents are disen ged from said ratchets connected to said arms for controlling the into selective positions wherein a selected direction said ribbon is to be fed, a fingerone of said pawls and its corresponding piece on one of said arms adjacent one of detent are in operative position, wiile the said spools, and means operative on the other of said pawls and its corresponding actuation of one of said keys and co-operatdetent are in inoperative position. ing with said spools to feed said ribbon in one direction when said shift-bar is in one position and in the reverse direction when said shift-bar is in another position.

5. In a typewriting machine of the class described, the combination with a platen, typing instrumentalities, and a universali bar vibrated upon otperation of each o said instruiiientalities, o a ribbon-spool, a vertical downwardly-extending spindle spool. a rotatable sleeve disposed around said spindle, a ratchet-wheel rotatable about said spindle and positioned between the upper end of said sleeve and .said spool, instrumentalities connecting said spool with said ratchet-wheel, instruinentalities including a awl mounted on the upper end of said sleeve for driving said ratchet-wheel step by step, a crank-arm fastened adjacent the bottom end of said sleeve, and a lever-system connecting said crank-arm wi h said universal bar, whereby movement of the latter under action of a typing instrumentality will cause a step-by-step movement of said ribbon-spool.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, type-keys thereon, a sleeve, means supporting said sleeve for rotation, means operable on the actuation o one of said keys and actin Y at one end of said sleeve to oscillate it a out its axis, a spindle rotatable in said sleeve, a spool secured to said spindle and arrange for receivin a ribbon thereon, means at the other end o said sleeve operable on the oscillation of said sleeve to impart ribbon-feeding movement to said spool, and means for rendering the second-mentioned means inoperative.

7. The combination with a typewriting machine having a universal bar, a carriage and a carriagehift-rame including en members, ribbon-s ol cups and spools disosable therein, of rackets on said end memers, sleeves rotata le in the brackets, means operable on the actuation of said universal bar to oscillate said sleeves about their axes, spindles revoluble in said sleeves, said spindles passing freely through said cups to receive said spools, ratchet-wheels riUid with said spindles for driving the spocls, arms rigid with said sleeves, pawls pivoted on the free ends of said arms to normally engage the teeth of said ratchet-wheels, deteiits preventing reverse movement of the wheels, and means for selectively disengaging the pawls and detents from either of said wheels.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, type-keys thereon, a universal bar mounted for movement relativel to said main frame, means operable on t ie depression of a type-key to actuate said universal bar, a sleeve, means supporting said sleeve for angular movement, a crank-arm rigid with said sleeve, a link pivoted on said crank-arm, means operable on the actuation of said universal bar to reciprocate said link and oscillate said sleeve, a spindle rotatable in said sleeve, a spool secured to said spindle and having a ribbon thereon, means operable on the oscillation of said sleeve to impart ribbon-feeding movement to said spool, and means for rendering the third-mentioned means inoperative.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, type-keys thereon, a universal bar mounted for movement relativel to said main frame, means operable on the epression of a key to actuate said universal bar, a sleeve, means supportin said sleeve for angular movement, a cran -arin adjustably secured to said sleeve, a link pivotally secured to said crank-arm, means operable on the actuation of said universal bar to reciprocate said link and oscillate said sleeve, a spindle rotatable in said sleeve, a spool secured to said spindle and having a ribbon thereon, means operable on the oscillation of said sleeve to impart ribbon-feeding movement to said spool, and means for rendering the third-mentioned means inoperative.

l0. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, type-keys thereon, a universal bar mounted for movement relatively to said main frame, means operable on the depression of a type-key to actuate said universal bar, a sleeve, a bearing at each end of said sleeve, supporting said sleeve for angular movement, a crank-arm secured to said sleeve adiacent one end thereotl and between said bearings, a link pivoted on said crank-arm, means operable on the actuation of said universal bar to reciprocate said li and oscillate said sleeve, a s indle rotatable in said sleeve, a spool secure to said spindle and having a ribbon thereon, means operable on the oscillation of said sleeve to impart ribbon-feeding movement to said spool, and means for rendering the third-mentioned means inoperative.

llo

1l.' In a typewriting machine, the combination with a ribbon-spool having a vertical axis and arranged for havinr a rib on wound thereon, an a ribbon-vi rator inclined rearwardly from the axis of said s ol, of a conical guide-pulley rotatable and arranged for guidsaid spool to said vibrator in such a manner as to hold the lower edge of said ribbon from sagging.

l2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, a shift-frame havin a side member adjacent each end ot sai platen and a rearwardly-inclined ribbonvibrator, of a ribbon-spool-cup mounted on each side frame, two vertical spindles carried by said frame, one positioned in the center of each of said cups, a ribbon-spool mounted on each of said spindles for havin proximately towards said vibrator, an upa ribbon wound thereon, vertically-monate wardly-extendng, vertical spindle fast 1n 1 conical guide-pulleys arranged with their each of said ears for receiving said conical largest ends down for guidlng said ribbon ulleys, and a Bange at the top of said u1- 5 from said spools to said vibrator and keeping eys arranged for retaining said rib on the lower edges of the ribbon taut enou h thereon. to prevent sa ging, an integral ear on t e bottom of eac of said cups extending ap- ALFRED G. F. KUROWSKI. 

